Introduction-
Nothing is more comfy than wearing a fleece jacket or covering up your body with a fleece blanket during a cold evening. However, the bliss is short lived as your formerly fluffy cloth goes into the wash box and returns dotted in pills, matted, or worse, spoiled. Small errors are committed when washing fleece by many individuals and these errors can accumulate making the fabric rough and ugly.
The good news is that you do not have to compromise softness to maintain fleece clean. Understanding how to wash fleece fabric the best way is easy and efficient. With the help of a couple of mindful steps, you will manage to keep its fluffiness and warm coziness intact in years to come. This ultimate guide to washing fleece fabric will show you how it is done step by step: the pre-wash care, drying, avoiding pilling and even preserving the fleece in optimal states.
Why Fleece is Special?
Fleece is an artificial fiber, in most cases polyester. It was to look and feel like a wool product, but without that heavyweight feel and the scratchiness. Lightweight and insulating, fleece soon gained popularity as a jacket or blanket filler or as an outdoor cloth. The moisture-wicking, its soft structure, and robustness make it extremely practical.
But improper laundering can take the treasures out of fleece. Rough detergents or high temperatures can cause fibers to clog. Surface may be discolored and may develop little balls of fabric called pills. Not only do these pills age fleece but they also decrease the softness of fleece. Also, fleece cleaning using the incorrect fabrics will heighten lint shedding and cling.
Knowing the reason behind this reaction of fleece makes you understand why best washing methods are important When you adhere to proper guidelines, fleece can last several years without becoming soft, warm, and pill-free.
Pre-Wash Checklist: Essential First Steps
The preparation comes before you learn how to wash fleece fabric. A pre-wash checklist is conducted so that your cloth is kept safe during cleaning.
- Look at the Care Label: Retailers will label their fleece, so it is always a good idea to check the labeling on their fleece item. It also has marks that show the temperature of water, drying directions and cycle preferences. These principles are the golden rule of fabrics care.
- Sort Laundry: Combine wash fleece with the similar materials only. Combining it with heavy fabrics such as towels or denim will create friction and hence pilling. Airy synthetic materials are safer company
- Close Zippers Fasteners: Fleeces and knives are a bad match because nags and pulls can occur readily when fleece comes in contact with sharp closures. Avoid washing jackets with zippers and Velcro.
- Treat Stains: Fleece has a tendency to retain oils or food stains Wash prior to treatment with a mild cleanser or solvent. Massage the area very carefully and then rinse out the water
- Inward outward: This is among the greatest steps. Reverse shearing fleece cuts down on production of friction, diminishes pilling and keeps the outside surface looking new.
Step-by-Step Washing Instructions
The fleece needs special treatment when it is time to wash. These are the easy ways to maintain your fabric soft.
Machine Washing
- Wash With Mild Detergent: Get a soft liquid detergent that is not harsh in composition. Steer clear of any fabric softeners because they coat fibers which in turn hinders moisture-wicking features in fleece.
- Cold or Warm Water: Wash fleece in cold or lukewarm water only. Synthetic fibers are damaged by hot water which makes them lose their softness.
- Make the Right Selection of Cycles: It washes best in Gentle, Delicate and Permanent Press cycles. Super heavy-duty cycles transfer excessive agitation, thus, leading to pilling.
Machine Washing
Delicate pieces of fleece or items that one wants to keep should be hand washed.
- Fill Basin with Cool Water: Add a little bit of mild detergent to this. Avoid the use of bleach or rough cleaners
- Agitate Gently: Dunk the cloth and slosh around. Do not wring/twist fleece
- Rinse: Soak it for 10-15 mins. Rinse out with cold water till all detergent is removed.
How to Dry Fleece Without Ruining It?
Drying of fleece is equally important as washing it. Most individuals destroy fleece at this stage
Air-Drying (The Best Method)
- Lay fleece on clean towel or drying rack.
- When wet, reshape the item to keep its shape.
- Do not leave wet fleece to hang because the presence of water will stretch fibers with each other changing their fit.
Machine Drying (The Careful Method)
- Put on a No Heat or very Low setting Hight temperature distorts the fibers and shrinks.
- Choose Tumble Dry option Put a dry towel in the dryer, so it soaks up excess moisture and minimizes the presence of static.
- Take the fleece out at the right time when it is a little wet to avoid forming wrinkles.
How to Deal with Pilling?
Understand Pilling Is Natural
Pilling is referring to the presence of loose fibers that periodically rub against each other and create balls of fabric on the surface. This is particularly common where there is high contact such as the under-arms as well as along seams. Despite the most thorough washing, not a drop of pilling is completely normal, so there is nothing to panic about, in case you notice some of them.
Use a Fabric Shaver
The safest and the most effective method of dealing with pills is the fabric shaver or pill remover. These conveniently mobile tools creep over the top only to gently lift off the pills without damaging the cloth. A regular use will help your fleece stay neat, soft, comfortable, and lose its quality.
Avoid Razor Blades
Trying to use a razor blade and scrape off the pills might seem a tempting idea, however, it is risky. All its properties can be easily ruined because razors can easily create holes into the fabric. Always use fabric-safe devices that are made for the task at hand so that your piece of fleece is not ruined and lasts forever.
Specific Fleece Item Guides
How to Wash a Fleece Jacket
It is best to zip the jacket and close the Velcro to avoid snags when washing. Turn it inside to reduce the surface friction and prevent pilling on the exterior. Wash on no more than a gentle cycle using cold water and a gentle detergent. To obtain optimal results, air dry jacket lying down to keep it in its shape and fluffy.
How to Wash a Fleece Blanket
Since blankets are bulky, wash them at a time to avoid the feeling of clothing getting tangled and over-friction. Use a cold water and a gentle detergent so that the blanket is washed economically. Avoid rough spin so that fibers are not strained. Towel the blanket out when dry or tumble on a low heat.
How to Wash a Fleece Vest or Pullover
These lighter fleece pieces should be washed on a Delicate cycle with like fabrics. Do not pile too much clothing in the washing machine because the cloths can over-rub on each other damaging their soft material. The room should be filled with cold or over all water to retain the quality. Washing can be done after which care is taken to dry the vest or pullover by simply reshaping and drying it flat.
How to Wash Sherpa Fleece
Sherpa fleece is of an especially delicate nature and requires additional care when washing. Wash in cold water with a very mild detergent and renew the fluffy texture of the wool-like material. Do not dry in machine since the heat will flatten the fibers Rather, Sherpa fleece should always be air dried laying down to retain the softness of the material and its appearance as well.
How to Wash Polar Fleece
Polar fleece is a thicker and warm material but it too responds well to delicate washing conditions. Put cold water and gentle detergent and turn the cloth inside out. Care softeners must be avoided as it coats fibers and makes them not breathable. Tumble drying or leaving in an airy place will maintain polar fleece warm and pill-free.
What NOT to DO: Mistakes to Steer Clears Of
No Fabric Softener
It coats fibres, reduces softness and holds odours in fleece.
No Bleach
Bleach ruins synthetic fibres and unsound fleece structure.
No high heat
High heat destroys fibers and disintegrates the fabric’s texture for fleece forever.
Non Rough Cycles
Heavy-duty cycles generate more friction and lead to pilling.
Hanging not to dry
Wet fleece leaves its natural form in wet conditions and stretches when hung.
Conclusion-
Fleece is one of the softest and warmest clothing materials possible as long as it is taken care of. The trick is to keep the essentials in mind: cold gentle washes, no softeners and air drying where feasible. Do not put harsh detergents anywhere near them, and do not put them in the dryer either. These are the measures you can use to keep your fleece jackets, blankets, and pullovers warm, free of pills, and durable.
At this point, you understand perfectly how to clean fleece fabric without destroying the fluffiness. By just taking a bit of extra care, you can extend the lifetime of freeze fleece articles and have your cozy favorites all through winter.
FAQs
You may put fleece in the dryer, but use low or no heat. Extreme hot condition can melt or loosen the synthetic fibers, leaving the fabric coarse and hurt. To achieve the best results, take the fleece slightly damp to eliminate wrinkles and to make it soft.
Vinegar is a safe and natural option to fabric softeners when cleaning fleece. Using a small amount added at the rinse cycle will also temporarily eliminate odors, retrieving freshness. It also avoids the accumulation of detergents and the fibers retain a fluffy effect.
Static is minimized using dryer balls or a slightly damp washcloth in the dryer with your fleece. The other tip is to use some hair conditioners on a cloth to naturally soften the fabric. Do not dry fleece too much: this causes static electricity.
No, it is not appropriate to iron a fleece, because a synthetic fiber can melt or burn due to the high temperatures. In the event that you require clearing off wrinkles, a fabric steamer is the best alternative. A steaming bathroom is also an alternative to remove creases without damaging the fleece since washing it with steam helps smooth the lines.
Fleece does not normally shrink because fleece is made of synthetic fiber like polyester. But it does run a threat of warping or melting the fibers if exposed to pretty high heat in the washer or dryer. In order to prevent this, always rinse fleece in cold or warm water, and dry on low heat.